Beaver County Man Who 'Sat In Pelosi's Chair' During Jan. 6 Capitol Riots Enters Guilty Plea
WASHINGTON (KDKA) - A Beaver County man whose mom says he sat in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's chair when he allegedly stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 has entered a guilty plea.
Thirty-four-year-old Russell Peterson from Rochester appeared in front of a judge in D.C. during a plea hearing via Zoom Wednesday. He's facing a maximum of six months in prison.
FBI agents say Peterson was inside the Capitol crypt on Jan. 6 and streamed it on Facebook.
According to the charging documents, a witness told the FBI Peterson's mother posted on Facebook saying her son had stormed the U.S. Capitol and "sat in Pelosi's chair."
He faced four charges from the Capitol insurrection but pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor: parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol building. The judge dismissed the other three charges.
Peterson is one of nearly two dozen people from Pennsylvania arrested for their involvement in the Capitol riots. Another man from Old Forge entered his guilty plea over Zoom with another judge from D.C. Frank Scavo also pleaded guilty to just one charge, the same one as Peterson. His attorney described Scavo as "very regretful," wishing he was never at the U.S. Capitol that day.
Peterson told the judge he first entered the Capitol that day to use the restroom, saying the porta potty situation wasn't ideal. The judge asked Peterson if he was suggesting someone from the Capitol invited him inside to use the bathroom. Peterson said no.
His guilty plea means no trial and he'll face his sentencing on Dec. 1.
